Mullings win by KO; Russell on points as Jamaicans dominate Guyanese counterparts

Sep 15, 2014 Sports

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By Michael Benjamin
2014 Jamaica Welterweight ‘Contender’ Champion, Sakima Mullings, continued his unbeaten streak of Guyanese fighters when he unleashed a sustained attack on Derick Richmond, reducing his nose to a bloody mess and forcing the ringside physicians to call a premature halt to their 8 rounds jnr/middleweight bout when the two clashed in the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), ‘Battle of Contenders’ at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), last Sunday evening.

Mullings’ countryman, Kamahl Russell, also continued his dominance over local fighters and followed up an earlier knockout verdict over Romeo Norville with a power punching display that earned him a lopsided unanimous verdict over his Guyanese opponent, Winston Pompey.
Local jnr/welterweight champion, Dexter Gonsalves then turned in a masterful display to dispose of Mark Austin in the final of their 8 rounds welterweight affair, moments before Leon Moore ‘Hurried Up’ Mark Murray and forced him to quit on his stool at the start of the third stanza. Quincy Gomes, coming in as a substitute for Dexter Marques, surprised Richard Williamson and carted off their jnr/lightweight fight by a unanimous verdict.
The Pompey/Russell shindig was billed as the main supporting bout but was undoubtedly the most action packed duel of the night. The Jamaican sent out an ominous warning from the very first round when he slammed home a stiff left hook that rocked his man and forced referee, Eon Jardine, to institute the mandatory eight count.
More surprised than hurt, Pompey resumed duties with a crunching right that staggered his man and compensated for the earlier blow. The Jamaican stood his ground and both traded delightful punches as those in attendance settled down for the anticipated slugfest.
They hadn’t long to wait as both gladiators, with a combined poundage of 322, went after each other with gusto. Bombs were launched with unerring frequency and it was a miracle that no one’s head was punched off. Nearing the end of that round, Russell distinguished himself with a 3 punch combination that served its purpose of impressing the judges.
Both boxers continued their aggression in the third frame and this time it was Pompey who launched a wicked body attack that had his man covering up. This was not for long, though, as Russell recovered and launched a few UFOs of his own. Pompey responded with several wicked body blows just as the bell sounded.
The crowd was into the action and both pugilists enjoyed reasonable support as the tide swayed from one to the other. Buoyed by the support, Pompey lashed out and opened his account in the fourth round with a wicked straight right, following up with a crunching left hook for good measure. Russell backed off and Pompey followed through with a one two combination. Undaunted, Russell served up a vicious left hook and a looping right moments before the bell separated them.
The fifth round was testing for the Guyanese pugilist as Russell upped the ante with a vicious right cross. Pompey then got into the act with a similar combination and thereafter, the tide swayed with each fighter going after each other with venom.
The two pugilists met each other center ring at the start of the sixth stanza and engaged in a wicked, ‘no holds barred’ toe to toe slugfest. The Jamaican slammed in a looping right while Pompey, playing catch up, responded with one of his own. The crowd egged them on and it was Russell that best responded with several unanswered punches. The battle went all the way to the wire as the two musclemen delivered on the pre-fight boast of an action packed encounter. In the end, judges, Andrew Thorne, Rawle Aaron and Carlton Hopkinson ruled in favour of the Jamaican, 58-55, 59-54 and 59-54 respectively.
One fight later, Mullings entered the ring draped in the Jamaican flag while Richmond entered with less fanfare. The Guyanese started the bout in a hurry, with a quick right cross while the Jamaican jabbed and circled as he settled in.
Mullings continued to stalk his man in the second round while holding a high guard. Richmond continued to dance around, pouncing occasionally with looping punches. Patience and perseverance eventually paid off for the Jamaican and he unleashed a three punch combination before the two became locked in close combat. When they separated, blood oozed from Richmond’s nose and when the bell rang to end the round seconds later, ringside physicians, Doctor Laxa and Nurse Green, were summoned to examine the injury. It seemed as though the cut was worse than it appeared as gobs of blood spurted from Richmond’s nose and forced the medical specialists to call a premature halt to the contest at the end of the second round.
Gonsalves resumed his dominance in the ‘square jungle’ with a clinical display against a determined but clearly outclassed Mark Austin. The latter fighter demonstrated pluck and determination as he bustled forward with probing punches but was met by an elusive Gonsalves who danced and jabbed his way out of trouble.
The pattern continued into the third round when a dancing Gonsalves stopped his footwork antics to deliver several pinpoint punches while Austin plodded forward, his retaliations landing in thin air. Austin tried to quarter the ring and trap his man in the corner but the wily Gonsalves would have none of it and danced his way out of trouble before unleashing a few bombs of his own.
This pattern continued up to the 5th round when Austin eventually stepped up the pace and cornered his man to unleash a wicked body attack.
Gonsalves resumed control in the sixth round and both pugilists, tired from the previous hectic rounds, stood toe to toe in one of the neutral corners in wicked exchanges. It was Austin’s best round but just when it appeared like he was getting his own way, Gonsalves sprang into action with a flurry to the head and body. Not to be outdone, Austin sent in several stiff punches upon the bell.
The 7th round was a replica of the preceding round; Austin advanced throwing leathers while Gonsalves countered with stiff jabs and looping hooks. When the bell to start the final round started, most of the patrons, already predicting the outcome of the fight, started wending their way to the entrance, anxious to get home to view the Mayweather/Maidana world title fight. Most of them missed the crunching straight right that connected to Austin’s temple and drifted him to the western neutral corner. A savage onslaught followed and forced referee, Dexter Torrington to jump in and halt the contest.
Gonsalves threw himself to the canvass in ecstasy and the uninitiated would have believed that he was the victim of a knockout; the referee’s decision spoke to the contrary at 1:14secs of the final round.
Gomes’ onslaught was indeed a joy to behold as he whipped his more seasoned opponent, Williamson, into submission. When one remembers that Gomes came in as a substitute, the feat becomes even more commendable; he won on all three judges scorecard.  Moore went through the routine of jabbing and crossing, while Murray went through his routine of covering up. Murray then decided that maybe two rounds was justifiable for his purse and refused to leave his corner at the end of the second frame.
Mullings now sits pretty after defeating most of his Guyanese counterparts. Word is circulating that his next opponent might be world rater, Clive Atwell. The latter fighter was at ringside and viewed the Mullings/Richmond bout even as speculation runs high.

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